A native fall aster - not sure which one
Here's the great thing about 2008: I'm garden blogging from the garden itself. Ain't wireless grand? It's 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, and the autumn light couldn't be better. As the sun sets to the west, the long shadows and light shine like spotlights changing across a stage. Tonight, the Texas Longhorns play Missouri, and the game starts in one hour. Small planes fly overhead carrying banners, telling us to go to the "Yellow Rose" and etcetera.
Petunia
The grackles are grackling. They've begun to congregate en masse and call their crazy caw. I wish I had my field recorder here to share the sounds. The new fountain (I'll show you that someday soon) is gurgling the afternoon away. Perfect.
Mexican oregano
Tomorrow, the Austin garden bloggers come to tour the Grackle garden. And yes, I'm kind of nervous...I've never had so many people come over just to see the garden. I've tried to follow Pam and Digging's advice not to worry too much. Seriously, I only primped and fluffed a little bit. But it's fall and time to do some of that anyway.
Cutleaf daisy
The temperature here in Austin is perfect. For many people, it's why they live here. 75 degrees. Blue skies. Grackles. What's better than that?
Texas betony
Turk's Cap and Mountain sage (below) await the migrating hummingbirds
If you have an agave, you know that they produce pups like a poor old dog stuck in a puppy mill. For some reason, nurseries around here can still get away with selling agaves for way too much money. I've got a ton that I've dug up to offer to the Garden Bloggers when they visit the garden tomorrow.
I'm looking forward to seeing your garden tomorrow! Don't worry - my garden is incredibly weedy, and I will definitely be impressed with yours. :)
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of agave pups, I have a pretty variegated agave with some pups to spare. Would you like one? If you would like me to bring you one, drop me an e-mail to be sure that I get the message in time.
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Rest assured, you are not alone. I also have never opened my chain-link gate (ahhh!) to the discerning eyes of the Austin bloggers. We can take mutual solace in our mutual "penick"... I mean panic for the impending anxiety attack, errrr I mean get together.
ReplyDeleteLook forward to meeting you (and everyone, finally) tomorrow.
An apprehensive
ESP.
What a fabulous garden! Thank you for sharing. I got lots of good ideas for my east side garden.
ReplyDeleteThank you for letting us come, Lee! It was so much fun to see your garden in real life and to be inspired by what you've done.
ReplyDeleteAnd thanks also for giving us a place and reason to get together and talk face-to-face instead of write ;-]
Annie at the Transplantable Rose
Enjoyed meeting you both and seeing your garden. Thought your courtyard was very cool!
ReplyDeleteYour elaborate drainage system ... very creative solution.
Stop in for a cold one any time you are cycling past this way.
Thanks again,
ESP.
Your garden is beautiful, and you have a wonderful eye for design in your house, too! Thank you for the tour, I was so happy to meet you guys and see your gorgeous garden first-hand.
ReplyDeleteLee, you didn't seem nervous at all, and I had such a good time seeing your garden and visiting with everyone there and at Philip's. Thanks for being such a good sport about letting me invite everyone over! Your garden is gorgeous, and if I'd settled into one of your Adirondacks I'd never have wanted to leave.
ReplyDeleteYour blog is wonderful. I found you thru Pam's post. I miss our grackles. For thirteen years they raised babies in a hollow maple in the back yard. A storm took it and all the other trees and I haven't seen our grackles since. We really looked forward to seeing those little heads popping up to look at us every summer. I can't tell you how many I've seen take their first flight over the years.
ReplyDeleteI certainly enjoyed Pam's post of the tour. Are those pups Americana? I agree re agave prices, even here small agaves are $15. In San Francisco I did get some more unusual (and non pupping) varieties, which were worth the price.
ReplyDelete